Affixify Case Study: How Mimslyn Inn Got to the Right Technology
Evolve Hospitality × SiteMinder, discovered through Affixify
AT A GLANCE
Property: Mimslyn Inn, an independent boutique hotel
Consultant: Steve Shotsberger, Principal, Evolve Hospitality Group
Technology Partner: SiteMinder (channel manager & distribution)
Affixify Role: Technology Research Platform + Warm Introduction
Outcome: Right vendor, right contact, deal closed, without the usual sales grind
THE CHALLENGE
Mimslyn Inn is a small, independent property, charming by design, nimble by necessity. But its distribution setup was anything but nimble. The inn was locked into an enterprise-level system through a soft-brand relationship, and the cost and complexity that came with it just didn't fit the property's scale.
Steve Shotsberger, Principal at Evolve Hospitality, was brought in to fix that. The mandate was straightforward: find a channel manager that could handle the property's distribution needs at the right scale, and integrate cleanly with a new PMS and RMS that were already determined.
THE OLD WAY WASN'T ENOUGH
For most technology decisions, hospitality consultants rely on what they know, vendors with proven track records, names they've worked with before. That approach has served the industry well for a long time.
But the hospitality technology market moves fast now. Familiar names don't always mean the right fit, and staying current on the full landscape by reputation alone is increasingly difficult. For this search, a more thorough evaluation was in order, which is what brought Evolve Hospitality Group to Affixify.
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Evolve Hospitality came to Affixify with specific criteria. He knew the property's desired PMS and RMS, he had a cost target, and he had a shortlist of must-haves. That clarity worked in the platform's favor. Affixify's algorithm performs best when the criteria are precise, and the search returned SiteMinder as the product fit.
Steve already knew the name, but more importantly, he knew it would integrate cleanly with the PMS already in place. The results confirmed what he suspected and gave him a path forward.
More importantly, it gave Evolve Hospitality confidence they were looking at the right solution before a single conversation started.
THE INTRODUCTION THAT CHANGED THE CONVERSATION
Being served a dashboard of results with the right vendor is one thing. Getting introduced to the right person at that vendor is something else entirely.
The typical path to a company like SiteMinder runs through the bottom of the funnel: demo requests and discovery calls before anyone with real authority is in the room. Affixify bypassed all of that. The introduction went directly to someone at SiteMinder who could evaluate the situation and move quickly.
SiteMinder's team felt the difference immediately:
"This was a particularly painless deal to work through. A big part of that was Affixify's dashboard showing the property's main priorities fitting specifically to SiteMinder's product. The introduction helped create a smoother process from the start and made engagement much easier throughout the conversation."
—Christian Durbin, Business Development Executive, SiteMinder
WHAT CLOSED THE DEAL
When Evolve Hospitality evaluated SiteMinder at the end of the process, three things stood out: competitive pricing with a sensible implementation fee structure, a strong industry reputation, and the speed at which the right person at SiteMinder could actually execute.
That last piece is often underrated. In technology procurement, the quality of the vendor relationship matters as much as the product spec. Affixify's network makes that part easier because introductions come with context, and context creates trust faster than a cold deck ever could.
THE PART THAT SURPRISED HIM
Steve Shotsberger has been in the hospitality industry a long time. He knows how slow and painful technology procurement usually is, which is exactly why this experience caught him off guard.
"It's usually not this easy. The surprising take-away was Affixify's relationship to their vendors and, in turn, the vendor's ability to understand my need saved major time and expense."
— Steve Shotsberger, Principal, Evolve Hospitality
That speed isn't accidental. Affixify works closely with its partner vendors so that when an introduction is made, the vendor already has context. They're not starting from zero, they're starting from a brief.
THE TAKEAWAY
"Affixify is a great tool period. It's an even better tool when you know what you want and need the right vendor connection plus expert contact at that third-party tech vendor."
— Steve Shotsberger, Principal, Evolve Hospitality
Mimslyn Inn now has a channel manager sized right for an independent property, integrated cleanly into its existing stack, without the months of research and sales friction that typically come with a technology change of this kind.
And SiteMinder? They closed a deal without burning cycles on a long discovery process.
That's what good technology discovery looks like.
SiteMinder is a vetted Affixify partner, validated by our team and trusted by operators across the industry. If you're looking for a channel manager or distribution tool that fits your property's actual needs, connect with Affixify to discover your options.
About Affixify
Affixify is a hospitality technology marketplace that helps hotels find and manage the right vendor partnerships without the bias.
Affixify's Connect Marketplace allows hotels to research and discover vetted technology vendors, consultants, asset managers, and management companies through a feature-based algorithm. No pay-to-play. No sponsored results. Just the right fit.
VRM by Affixify is a centralized platform to manage vendor approvals, track relationships, and help properties discover brand-approved technology.
Register for our marketplace free at affixify.net/register.